R-Type Final
R-Type Final, released on the PlayStation 2, was the followup title to the popular R-Type Delta and plays much the same way. Though it was initially planned to be series' swan song, R-Type Command/Tactics was released a few years later. This game functions as a (sometimes retroactive) series bible for fans of the series. Story Final takes place five hundred years after the events in the first mission against the Bydo, in the same era as as when the Bydo were first created by humanity and subsequently sent back in time. However, the game's internal clock starts at 2164 AD. The pilot's first mission is to investigate a mysterious enemy inside a crashed space colony, the remnants of a large battle codenamed Operation Last Dance, a previous attempt to wipe out the Bydo once and for all. This investigative theme is incorporated throughout the game as each level is considered 'research' on the Bydo and unlocks a gallery of in-universe artwork and additional playable ships. Levels are prefaced with hints of the R-Type universe in the form of poetry. Interestingly, the Bydo were first said to have been sent back in time to the 21st century from the 26th century, which ended up causing the various Bydo wars since then; thus the Bydo in this mission is actually the enemy discussed in previous missions from centuries ago. The recorded pilot logs hint that this is the Bydo war started in the 21st century, rather than the "initial cause" that first sent the Bydo back. There is no mention in Final of Bydo invasion and humanity's growth between the last known mission in 2169 and R-Type Final, nearly four centuries later, aside from new technology and craft. Though each mission is largely the same, certain areas can be changed, altering either the current mission or subsequent ones, a switch often possessed by the stage bosses such as Negus O Shim and Fine Motion (further covered under the entries for the bosses and stages). By satisfying certain conditions, different endings can be seen. There's also a mode where pilots can pit ships against each other, in a sort of simulation mode controlled entirely by AI. Endings There are three endings to R-Type Final, ''each with its own final stage.'' 1. The Bydo (Core) is destroyed by the Final Wave Cannon, but the pilot's ship is too damaged to function from the resulting blast and falls down the Bydo abyss. 2. After defeating the Nonemayer, the player's ship is transformed one of two ships: either the B-1D Bydo System Alpha or the B-3B Metallic Dawn. It is then sent back in time to Stage 1. During this stage, you fight against Earth's first defense fleet, ending with a duel between an original R-9 ship. This ending completes a closed time-loop: the B-1D Bydo System Alpha can be seen when starting Stage 1, as it flies past your ship, in the background. If the player is given Bydo System Alpha the ending will have text after it (unlike the other endings). This ending explains why only your ship is sent against the Bydo during the main story of the game (you destroy most of the other R-9 series ships in this ending). 3. This is considered to be a bonus ending. The pilot is sent forward in time to the year 2501. Because this journey is through time, pilots only have one chance to finish their journey home. Spacecraft Final provides 101 playable ships, including altered versions of ships appearing in previous R-Type games, together with many original ones. They are unlocked through a branching system accessed via the R Museum, which was originally featured in R-Types. The Playstation 2's internal clock is incorporated into each ship's development history when the craft is unlocked. For example, ships unlocked in 2008 will be seen in the game as having been rolled out in 2168. Many of the new ships are pulled from Irem's past, such as the OF-1 Daedalus and R-11S Tropical Angel. Pilots are supported by TP-2 POW Armor, TP-2M Frogman, and TP-2S Cyber Nova, all of which are selectable to pilot. Pilots can customize any ships within their Hangar, changing the color scheme, Bit Device, and Missile loadouts (this will return to the default if the ship leaves the Hangar). However, each ship typically only has a couple of choices each; some of the more advanced fighters offer more options, and the Ultimate Fighters are completely customizable, including choice of Forces and Wave Cannons. Weapons R-Type Final greatly expands the standard complement of Bit Devices and Missiles available to pilots. Delta Weapons from R-Type Delta also return and are improved on, but are not noted within the R Museum. * R-Type Final contains all Forces from the previous titles, but introduces far more than it mines. Even ships taken from R-Type titles without Forces can now equip them. * There are 83 Wave Cannons, the vast majority of which are new to this mission. Stages and Bosses Stages Bosses 1.0 - Metropolis Quietus Xelf-16 2.0-2.4 - Twisted Ecology Negus O Shim 3.0 - Battleship Raid Warship 3.5 - Forest Watchdog R-13A Cerberus 4.0 - Deserted Lab Dobkeratops 5.0 - Dimension 26 Fine Motion 6.0 - Floating Graves Gomander 6.1 - Beautiful Erasure Nomemayer 6.2 - Anti-Space Gridlock F-A - The Bydo... Bydo (Core) F-B - Summer Night R-9A Arrowhead F-C - Wherever None Enemies * Meltcraft * Strabalt * Gains * Simakranger * Gironika * Surge * Nulaylaf * York * Yorkmingo * Yorkon * Yorkgorn * Birashins Sprout * Birashins Bulb * Birashins Root * Birashins Shoot * Keet * Marine Keet * Keet Colonian * Asteroid Taran * Sand Taran * Aqua Taran * Taran Colony * Glam * E320 Warship Engine * E321 Warship Engine * Planet Buster Wave Cannon * Pulsar * Lancer * Bolt * Brabam * Gemini * Grant * Land Gains * Wave Core * Glaise * Wight * Geela * Allene * Reevo * Cattepigard * Ralma * Daris * Allene D * McCarron Class * Photon Dorney * Strabalt Bomber * Nasreil * Outslay * Genneim * Cancer * Shutom * Ayden * Guaneem * Chimass * Genon * Bat * Hatch Trivia * Level 6.0 consists of remains of the moon-sized womb for the first Bydo. * The ending of the US version of R-Type Final features a song from Blue Man Group, whereas the Japanese version has a different ending sung by Hekiru Shiina. The European version features a completely different song altogether. * The control rods of a Standard Force are seen resting above the waves on the title screen, in silent homage of the Force's significance and iconic appearance. External links * Official website * R-Type Final Manual Category:R-Type Series